


A Meddling Affection

by wakandan_wardog



Series: Tumblr Shenanigans [13]
Category: Hawkeye & The Winter Soldier, Hawkeye (Comics), Tales of Suspense, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Getting Together, M/M, Pre-Slash, Team as Family, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 19:58:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18723913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakandan_wardog/pseuds/wakandan_wardog
Summary: A belated Birthday ficlet for the lovely Ru!Combined with Tumblr Prompt: All Avengers, clock, poking





	A Meddling Affection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rudearrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudearrow/gifts).



Clint Barton swims toward awareness slowly, reluctantly, vaguely aware that something somewhere hurts like hell. It turns out that that something is roughly seventy-five percent of his body, with the remaining twenty-five caught between a lead-like heaviness and a weird cotton-cloud sensation.

“Ow.” He grumbles plaintively as his eyes slit open, ears filling with the annoying click-beep of machinery that tells him he’s in the med-bay,  _again_. “Did Stark get the name of the building that landed on me? I demand that he breaks out the lawyers and sues every bastard involved in its construction.”

“You don’t get to demand a thing.” A gravelly voice rumbles at his right. “Not a single damn thing, since you couldn’t do the one thing I asked you.”

Clint knows that voice, knows it like he knows a certain steady heartbeat, like a body that runs too warm and a metal arm that always wraps around his waist, a cool-metal palm resting protectively at the base of his spine.  _James_. The Winter Soldier is sitting by his bedside, and considering what he remembers of the fight before he lost consciousness? Yeah, James is probably pissed.

James Barnes has been sitting at his boyfriend’s bedside for three hours since the Iron Man armor had interrupted his solo SHIELD mission and picked him up without so much as a by-your-leave. Granted, hearing the story in transit had convinced him of the necessity, but the fact that it had happened in the first place was what really pissed him off. He’d be sure to address that too, as soon as Clint was in decent enough shape to stand on his own feet.

The armor had gotten him back to the tower first, so he was ready and waiting when the QuinJet touched down and the team unloaded Clint’s body from Cho’s cradle. Between the machine and a vial of Stark’s reboot serum, a short-lived nanite repair program, they had repaired Clint’s broken bones, sealed up some of the wounds, and burned out the onset infection. All before settling him in the infirmary with James posted diligently at his bedside.

“SnowBunny,” He mumbles weakly, borrowing one of Tony’s nicknames and trying for a smile when his boyfriend comes into view. “Heeeeey, I was just kidding about the building.”

“Save it,” James growled, leaning over to brush a finger over a bandage on Clint’s cheek. “I hope you know, I’m gonna kick your ass for this later. You promised me, Babe.”

“Listen, I didn’t get hurt in the fight,” Clint wheedles. “It was  _after_  the fight.”

“When a building crashed in on you, I heard.” Bucky snarls. “You’re lucky Tony sent the suit to me, you goddamn disaster. If I had to hear about this after my op, we’d be hashing this out right now.”

“Yessir,” The archer mumbles, eyes drifting closed. “Everyone else okay?”

“Yeah, Idiot,” James sighed, fingers trailing through Clint’s hair. “Go to sleep, you’ll see them when you wake up.”

“Mmmm… You stayin’?”

“Yeah... Yeah, I’m stayin’,” The Soldier promised with a faint smile. “Wild aliens couldn’t tear me away.”

“Mmmm, I bet you say that to all the boys.” Clint smiled into his pillow. “Love you, Soldier Boy.”

“Love you too, BirdBrain,” James sighed, getting up out of the chair and perching on the foot of the bed. He folded his legs up beneath him, tossing a glance over his shoulder when he was settled.  “Ya know, you’re loitering awfully loudly. Why don’t you step in here, kitten?”

Tony Stark peers through the half-open door, brown eyes liquid dark and wide in his face. When James quirks a challenging brow he gives a half smile, shuffling into the room in the crumpled remnants of a smart suit. The jacket, vest, and tie are gone now, buttons undone at his throat offering a glimpse of his golden-tan throat and upper chest. His sleeves are uncuffed and rolled up to his elbows, showing tan forearms with the occasional oil stain.

“Hey,” Tony offered shyly, glancing up at the clock on the wall and then shooting James a look. “Uh, I checked in with the rest of the team and they’re alright. Showered and eating, I thought I’d sit with him if you needed a break? There should still be food left, if you hurry?”

“Hey Doll,” James smiled, gesturing to the empty chair. “Sit with us for a few, if you’ve got the time? You just missed Sunshine over here wakin’ up, I think he’s back down for the count for a bit.”

“TastyFreeze,” The billionaire teased, shuffling into the room and around the bed to eye the machines. “Don’t pick on him, he’s had a tough day.”

“Don’t you take his side,” James whined, dropping a hand onto Clint’s knee as he reaches out to poke the billionaire with the other. “I’m countin’ on you to be on my side when he wakes up, to tell him how much he worried all of us with his bullshit stunts.”

“Why do you need my help for that?” Tony countered, grinning as he brushed the prodding hand away. “Don’t you have the gold-star guilt trip that is Steve Rogers in your corner? Just turn Captain America’s Disappointed-In-You baby blues loose and watch Hawkass buckle under their soul-shattering weight.”

“No good letting Steve take all the credit. I think it’d be more fun if we all talked to Clint about how disappointed we are in his grand gestures of life-risking idiocy,” James countered, humor fading. “There’s no telling if he’d even be here if it weren’t for you and that serum of yours.”

“Helen’s cradle does most of the work,” Tony countered with a modest handwave and a duck of his head. “It just helps speed things along a little, so maybe you can yell at him the same day.”

“Well, I appreciate it,” The Soldier retorted, catching Tony’s wrist and towing him closer. “So listen to me, will ya? I’m grateful, Tones. Clint is too, even if he doesn’t know it yet. He woke up, and he talked to me, and just a few hours ago he was buried under a sky-scraper. You did that, Slick, so just let me say thank you.”

“Uh, okay?” Tony mumbled, looking baffled as he allows the Soldier to tow him closer. “You’re welcome?”

“You always take such good care of us, you know that?” James grinned. “One of these days, you’re gonna let me return the favor.”

“I don’t think it’ll get to the point where I need to be your kept man, but you’re awfully sweet to offer,” Tony teased.

“Who is a kept man?” Steve Rogers asks as he steps into the room with plates in hand. “Figures both of you idiots would be here, hovering.”

“Oh Captain My Captain, you’re supposed to be eating.” Tony grinned up at the blond, blinking in surprise when Steve shoved a plate at James and set the other on Clint’s bed. “I don’t think our resident circus star is up to food yet, honey.”

“The plate is for you, dumbass,” Steve grumbled, planting his shoulder against the wall. “You sit in the chair and eat, Buck, sit on the bed and eat. Both of you shut up. I lost a bet with Tasha, so it falls to me to say some things.”

“Oh, this can’t be good,” James mutters, taking a bite of his meal as he watches Tony settle into the seat with his plate in hand. “It’s never good when Tasha starts gambling with you.”

“It’s a pretty innocent pool, all things considered.” Steve murmurs with a grin. “We’re wondering when you and Clint are going to step up and tell Tony you like him?”

 “You what now?” Tony yelped, dropping his fork.

James sighs loudly, shoulders sinking. “Damn it, Punk… You got the worst kind of timing.” 

"If you think that's bad," Steve smirked, jerking his thumb toward the door at his back. "Wait till you hear what everyone else has to say." 

James tossed a glance over his shoulder, wincing at the sight of the rest of the team crowded in the doorway. Natasha was smirking, Rhodey was frowning, Sam had a hand over his mouth like he was stifling a laugh. Of the group, Thor looked confused and Bruce looked resigned, which meant James liked them most at the moment. But they were all traitors. 

"I hate you all." He sighs as they pile into the room, not meaning a word of it. "Every single one."  

**Author's Note:**

> It's a short thing but I hope you enjoyed it, my darling!


End file.
